Two Die in Crash on I-5 Near Creswell (PHOTOS)

Police aren't sure why the driver of a motor home lost control just before 9:00 p.m. last night.

5-year old Kailee Coontz died in the I-5 freeway crash last night. Photo courtesy: Kailee's family. Crash scene photos below the story courtesy: Oregon State Police

(EUGENE, Ore.) - A five-year old girl and an unidentified male were killed Wednesday in a head-on crash on Interstate-5 about 13 miles south of Eugene, near Creswell, Oregon.

Oregon State Police Sgt. Daniel Swift says troopers from the Springfield Area Command responded to the head-on traffic collision last night at 8:50 p.m. on southbound I-5 at Mile Post 182.

He says the investigation indicates that that crash happened as a motor home, being driven by 41-year old Stephen Whitaker of Cottage Grove, Oregon was northbound on I-5 in the Creswell area.

For an unknown reason, Whitaker lost control of the motor home and it crossed the center median and struck a southbound Oldsmobile Alero head-on.

The Oldsmobile was driven by 35-year old Cathleen Coontz of Springfield, Oregon. In addition to Cathleen Coontz, the Oldsmobile was also occupied by 35-year old Brian Coontz, and 5-year old Kailee Coontz, also of Springfield.

Both Cathleen and Brian Coontz were treated and released with minor injuries from local area hospitals, but their daughter, Kailee Coontz, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Cathleen and Brian Coontz were both wearing seat belts and Kailee was properly seated in a booster seat with a seat belt on as well.

Whitaker was taken to Riverbend hospital in Bend where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. A passenger in Whitaker's motor home was transported by Life-Flight to Riverbend hospital where he was pronounced deceased. His name is not being released pending notification of next of kin.

Both southbound lanes of I-5 were closed for about forty five minutes while emergency crews worked at the scene.

The left lane was re-opened prior to 10:00 p.m. while the right southbound lane remained closed so troopers from the OSP Collision Reconstruction Unit could complete their investigation. All lanes were re-opened about 2:00 a.m.

The investigation into the cause of the collision is still continuing and OSP is being assisted in this investigation by the Lane County District Attorney's office. OSP was assisted at the scene by the Lane County Sheriff's Office, the Goshen Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

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